"Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor claims his mum is using witchcraft to ruin his career"

Not sure what I have more trouble believing here. The witchcraft or the reference that Ade is a striker.

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Jan Vertonghen is considering his Tottenham future and is apparently still haunted by Tim Sherwood questioning his mentality and commitment. I'm glad he's bemoaning the lack of Premier League starts. Proves he isn't comfortable watching from the bench. I'm not quite sure why he's not considered first choice either, unless Sherwood's words were minor truth bombs that have gone on to hurt Vertonghen's form. Yes, he's a moody git, but appease his ego and he'll soon be ripping his shirt off to reveal that almost forgotten 'Superman' logo covering his chest.

Vertonghen is the best centre-back we have. If there is something flawed with his personality that is strong enough to create doubt with Pochettino, then we'll cash in as we always do. The only true flaw is that his ambitions do not currently match with the application and output of most of the rest of the squad. Which fits in perfectly with our famed business model:

Buy talent. Allow them to elevate and promote said talent. Team stutters. Chairman has excuse to sell disruptive player for profit. Use said profit to by next victim.

For the moment, Poch claims there is no issue and he's happy with the player citing squad rotation. The rest might as well be filler with January in mind. Although we all know that Spurs filler tends to choke us up more often than not.

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Michael Dawson states that Pochettino should be given time. Tom Huddlestone feels so much has changed at Spurs that Sunday's game will feel like 'any other game'. Speaks volumes when ex-players deemed not good enough to retain are in full pelt patronising mode in preparation for the six-pointer clash. Tragically, we could do with Dawson's courage and vocal encouragement (and love for the shirt) and we could also do with Huddlestone's volleyed thunderbolt shots. Specifically aimed at the heads of the Spurs players to wake them the **** up.

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Hull for the record haven't won a league game since the opening day of the season. If you look up the definition of ominous in the dictionary you'll see a picture of a Spurs fan face-palming.

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Gareth Bale interviewed in Madrid by the Telegraph (by the ever charming Charlie Parrish). He says all the right things, all the diplomatic emotive driven things that we (his ex-club supporting fanbase) would wish to hear. Still looks out for Spurs results, still wants Arsenal to lose. Would never join Arsenal. Would have found it hard to leave Spurs had Madrid not come in for him. I believe it all. Although the one about not leaving Spurs had Madrid not bid is easy to say now, because he's at Madrid. Still, I don't mind the romanticised notions of tentative loyalty. Without these notions there would be no substance to keep me attached to this once beautiful game turned ugly.

However, I'm not completely drunk on the past or the dreams of a whimsical future that never played out to be. Bale is a brand. A franchise all on his own and staying at Spurs would have stagnated his earning potential and marketing. Madrid are kings of fronting it. They pick up top drawer superstar players not because their starting eleven require them but because they are required to be seen as the ones sitting on the very top of the footballing pyramid. Then they find a way of fitting them in by moving former marque signings out of the club, benefiting the lucky club that signs them but not quite matching the expectancy of the one that has his place sacrificed and is pushed off the pinnacle.

Still, I don't feel that Bale needs any protection from the White Storm and it's constant acid rain burning down on the rest of football. He isn't daft. He knows there are two things at play here. One is the football at it's purist level and the other is the heart-sign and the advertisements and endorsements. When it's time for him to move on he'd have played for the biggest footballing juggernaut on the planet and be rich enough to retire in his early 30s. Not too shabby a career.

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Pochettino's words:

"I have a chat every day with Daniel on the training ground, that is normal. I understand football but I always feel the support from him and the club and that is what is important to me. I understand the supporters, they want the best for the club. I understand they are not happy. This is not a moment to find guiltiness, it is a moment to be strong"

Broken English to unify a broken community. At least the support at an away game is more concentrated in favour of singing for the love of Tottenham Hotspur rather than the home supports collective disgruntlement for the team that is simply a dysfunctional representative of Tottenham Hotspur.

Should our coach even be referencing the support of the chairman, negotiating a calm before another potential storm? Is this Spurs? Yes? Then it makes perfect sense.